As the immediate past World Lacrosse competition director, former International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations president and a close friend for 30 years, I am honored to write this tribute recognizing international lacrosse officiating legend Stephen Taylor’s life, and dedication, to our great sport. Stephen passed peacefully away surrounded by his loving family after a three-year battle with brain cancer. Today, the World Lacrosse family mourns his death.
Renowned for his incredible work ethic and passion for lacrosse, Stephen has made a significant contribution at all levels in the field of officiating over an extended period, with achievements at the highest level since gaining his international accreditation in 1996.
He officiated his first IFWLA women’s world event in 1995 and went on to officiate at a further nine women’s world events through to 2019 in various capacities, including on-field, an as technical delegate and umpire in chief. Throughout his career, Stephen lived his mantra by actively embodying and practicing the principle that ‘participation in a world event is earned, not inherited,’ and he supported a clear purpose in terms of officiating development and continual improvement, with a constant lens on the need to keep the game safe, while adapting the rules to widen the game’s appeal.
By consciously aligning his behavior and thoughts for the good of the game, Stephen is credited as a trailblazer in this field; he was a vocal campaigner of change, and an active participant in the strategic planning that led to the development of officiating competencies and a universal officiating pathway.
In his native England, Stephen officiated at the local, regional and national levels, and was chair of rules and umpiring for 10 years (1997-2007), during which time he was also the European Lacrosse Federation women’s umpiring chair (2003-07). Following that, he moved to his adopted homeland of Ontario, Canada, where he continued his officiating career in various roles, including director of technical programmes (2008-10) and Ontario Women’s Field Lacrosse commissioner (2011-15).
Stephen’s development work took him around the world, delivering officiating clinics from apprentice to international levels in Australia, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, United States and Wales.
Stephen recognized the need to increase collaboration with the Continental Federations to help improve alignment of practices across the globe, noting that regional events were of benefit to the officials who participated, as they provided an equitable pathway to participation for all.
Stephen worked closely for six years with Jan Jackson, then World Lacrosse women’s rules chair, as a member of her committee to support the development of women’s rules, which included maintaining the international crosse and pocket specifications, initiating rule change discussions within rules and officiating committees, and writing more than 40 rules changes. Stephen also worked with the men’s officials on harmonizing their rules with men’s field and box lacrosse. Stephen was elected as the World Lacrosse women’s officiating chair in 2015 for a four-year term.
Stephen administrated on several WL committees, including the Women in Sport Commission, and the Awards Committee, where he presented its Hall of Fame outcomes to a workshop at the 2022 WL General Assembly. Stephen gave back to the sport as much as he put in, and leaves an everlasting legacy with our sport of lacrosse.
In recognition of his long and distinguished service to the sport, Stephen received many awards and accolades, including the International Lacrosse Development Committee Award for Lifetime Contribution (2006), the English Lacrosse Service Award (2008), the Ontario Lacrosse Jane Acton Officiating Award (2012), and during the recent 2024 WL Box Championships, it was an incredibly proud and happy moment when Stephen was presented with the World Lacrosse International Officiating Award in front of family and fellow lacrosse enthusiasts, for “making a significant impact worldwide to the growth and development of lacrosse officiating, and commitment to the sport.”
In Ontario, the “Stephen Taylor Scholarship” has been established, and is awarded to an Ontario Women’s Field Lacrosse official attending a post-secondary institution who has officiated in the OWFL during the current season and has demonstrated a passion and commitment to the sport of women’s field lacrosse in the spirit of Stephen’s legacy.
Stephen was an outstanding role model for officials throughout the world and a great example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. He is survived by his loving wife, Sheila, adored daughters, Emily and Jessica, parents Barry and Margaret, sisters Claire and Alison, and extended family members and friends.
Many of us who knew Stephen feel a great sense of sorrow, yet we take real delight and satisfaction in recalling the wonderful memories of times shared with him around the world. We shall be forever grateful for what he has contributed to our sport. Stephen will be warmly remembered and deeply missed.
A funeral service will be held at St. Bride’s Anglican Church, 1516 Clarkson Rd N., Mississauga, on Saturday, February 8, at 1 p.m. ET. The service will be streamed live here.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Brain Tumour Foundation or to the Stephen Taylor Scholarship (Laxrules@hotmail.com).
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come”
